Paint pan safety clamp



March 26, 1968 CHOVAN 3,374,980

PAINT PAN SAFETY CLAMP Filed Aug. 22, 1966 I I F165 \A- Jaw/w CA/ovA/v INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States. Patent 3,374,980 PAINT PAN SAFETY CLAMP Joseph Chovan, 3712 Sheridan Road, Kenosha, Wis. 53140 Filed Aug. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 574,116 9 Claims. (Cl. 248-229)- This invention relates to a ladder engaging paint pan supporting device and proposes a mechanism including adjustable pan engaging clamps in novel arrangement with a clamp for locking the device to the step of a ladder or other horizontal surface such that the pan can be securely'attached to such-surface and easily removed.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a device for engaging vertical legs of a paint pan in such manner as to enable clamping of-the pan to a horizontal surface. 7

A further object of this invention is to provide a device which will secure a paint pan of the type used with a conventional paint roller, on either side of any step of a step ladder. Y

A still further object of this invention is to provide a paint pan securing device which can be used with any conventional roller type of paint pan having vertical legs.

A still further obpect of this invention is to provide a roller type paint pan securing device which is adjustable for use with paint pans having a variety of lateral dimenslons.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a roller type paint pan securing devicewhich can be attached to such a paint pan and secured to step ladders having steps of a variety of thicknesses and constructed from a variety of materials.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a roller type paint pan securing device which can be attached to such paint pan, clamped on two horizontally spaced surfaces and easily removed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings contained on a single sheet,

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the safety clamp removed from the paint pan.

FIGURE 2 is an end view of a section of the clamp taken along the lines 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the safety clamp showing the clamp removed from the paint pan.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a section of the safety clamp showing the paint pan leg engaging latch clamp open for receiving a vertical leg of the paint pan.

FIGURE 5 shows the safety clamp in plan view engaging the vertical legs of a paint pan and clamped to the top horizontal member of a step ladder.

FIGURE 6 showsa side view of the paint pan in FIG- URE 5 showing the safety clamp secured to the paint pan and to the step ladder.

FIGURE 7 shows the end portion of the paint pan leg engaging latch.

FIGURE 1 shows the safety clamp in engaged position without either the paint pan or ladder being included, and in such figure right hand bar 3 and left hand bar 2 with restraining means on their outer ends as hereinafter described, have their ends inner overlapping (see FIGURE 3) such that one each of holes 4 and Sin said respective bars aligns with the hole in frame 1 to allow insertion of bolt 13. Winged nut 6 on bolt 13 draws the ends of bars 2 and 3 tightly against frame 1 along the top of frame projections 14, said projection maintaining the bars in straight line relationship as to each other. Screwed into a threaded opening the lower leg of frame 1 is clamp bolt 7 having 3,374,986 Patented Mar. 26, 1968 a journal at its outer end for mounting plate 16 (see FIGURE 2) which is freely rotatable thereon. Fixed clamp 9 is fashioned on the outer end of bar 3 such that it serves as a means for restraining movement away from frame 1 with respect to any object inserted between said clamp 9 and bar 3. Latch 12 is pivotally secured to the outer end of bar 2 by pin 17 such that when in the closed position shown in FIGURE 1 the curved end 15 of said latch 12 is snapped into groove or slot 18 (see FIGURE 4) to form an enclosure capable of restraining movement of any object inserted therein longitudinally and laterally of bars 2 and 3.

FIGURE 5 shows the safety clamp attached to a common type paint tray having vertical rear legs each of which terminates in a horizontal pad at the bottom thereof, said pad serving as an effective means for preventing upward movement of said legs out of restraining means in the form of clamp 9 and latch 12. Because paint trays vary in width, it is necessary to adjust the safety clamp by removing nut 6 and bolt 13, sliding the end of bar 2 across the end of bar 3 until each of clamps 9 and 12 is centered on a paint tray leg, reinserting bolt 13 through hole in frame 1 and aligned holes 4 and 5, and drawing the ends of said bars against said clamp 1 by application of winged nut 6. Latch 12 is then opened as shown in FIGURE 4, clamp 9 hooked over the vertical portion of the'righthand tray leg while directing the outer end of bar 2 around the lefthand tray leg such that closing of latch 12 will cause the end of bar 2 and latch 12 to rest on opposite sides of the vertical portion of the left tray leg. When the safety clamp is thus positioned on the legs of the customary paint tray, the tray is securely attached and will remain so until latch 12 is again opened.

The main utility of this invention results when the safety clamp when so attached to the customary paint tray,is fastened to the step of a stepladder, or to any other appropriate object used in the painting operation. Fastening the safety clamp to such object is effected by backing clamp bolt 7 out of frame 1 until the distance between mounting plate 16 and the upper leg of frame 1 is sufficiently great to accommodate the width of the object to which the safety clamp is to be secured, inserting such object between said mounting plate 16 and the upper leg of frame 1, and advancing clamp bolt 7 into frame 1 until said object is firmly pressed against said upper leg of frame 1.

It will thus be observed that this invention consists of a paint tray safety clamp 'by means of which a paint tray may be secured to objects of varying thicknesses with a minimum of effort and readily removed and resecured to another similar object while remaining free from danger of a falling paint tray when so secured.

It will be observed that this safety clamp is readily adjustable to paint trays of varying widths and leg configurations having a vertical portion terminating in a horizontal pad or shoe. While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from its spirit. Accordingly, I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all embodiments as are reasonably covered by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a paint tray safety clamp, a frame, arms projecting from at least two sides of said frame, restraining means to restrict movement longitudinally and laterally of said arms located at a fixed position on each such arm, one said restraining means having one side open and a second said restraining means having a corresponding side which can be selectively opened and closed, means for adjusting the distance of at least one said restraining means from said frame, and compression means for attaching and detaching said frame to an object having a pair of spaced surfaces? 2. In a paint tray safety clamp as described in claim 1 in which said arms comprise rigid bars extending in opposite direction from said frame, which bars are maintained in alignment through spaced bearing surfaces within said frame and a compression device acting on the end of each such bar to hold such bar securely Within said frame.

3. In a paint tray safety clamp as described in claim 2 in which said arms carry a series of longitudinally and laterally mutually aligned holes alignable sequentially with a corresponding hole in said frame.

4. In a paint tray safety clamp as described in claim 3 in which said frame comprises a U-shaped body having a back and upper and lower legs with a projection from the back in the direction of and substantially parallel with said legs such that the distance between the top of such projection and the bottom of the upper leg is equal to the width of said arms.

5. In a paint tray safety clamp as described in claim 4 in which at least one of said restraining means is rigidly attached to an arm.

6. In a paint tray safety clamp as described in claim 1 in which said arms comprise two rigid bars extending in opposite directions from said frame, one said bar having a rigid restraining means at its outer end opening toward said frame and the other said bar equipped with a restraining means having a latch such that said restraining means can be opened to produce an opening away from said frame.

7. In a painttray safety clamp as described in claim 1 in which said arms projecting from said frame comprise two rigid bars extending in opposite directions therefrom, each such bar having restraining means at its outer end opening in a common direction, said frame comprising a U-shaped' body with aback and upper and lower legs projecting therefrom and having associated with said lower leg a plate connected to a mechanism for selectively raising and lowering said plate relative to said lower leg.

8. In a paint tray safety clamp as described in claim 1 in which said arms comprise two rigid bars which can be removably secured at their inner ends to the frame and having restraining means at their outer ends, said frame comprising a U-shaped body with upper and lower legs projecting from the back of said body, said lower leg having means including a plate and screw device whereby pressure can be applied against said upper leg.

9'. In a'paint tray safety clamp as described in claim 1 in which said arms comprise two rigid bars which can be removably secured at their inner ends in rigid longitudinal alignment by a screw mechanism in the frame, said frame comprising a U-shaped body having a back with legs projecting from said back, including an upper and lower leg, said lower leg having means including a plate and screw device whereby pressure can be applied against said upper leg.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,807,501 5/1931 Alexander 248226 2,328,252 I 8/1943 Barker 248-226 X 2,541,434 2/1951 Nelson et al. 2482l0 3,176,950 4/1965 Hittesdorf 248311 X 3,268,196 8/1966 Anton 248-229 ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner. FRANK DOMOTOR, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A PAINT TRAY SAFETY CLAMP, A FRAME, ARMS PROJECTING FROM AT LEAST TWO SIDES OF SAID FRAME, RESTRAINING MEANS TO RESTRICT MOVEMENT LONGITUDINALLY AND LATERALLY OF SAID ARMS LOCATED AT A FIXED POSITION ON EACH SUCH ARM, ONE SAID RESTRAINING MEANS HAVING ONE SIDE OPEN AND A SECOND SAID RESTRAINING MEANS HAVING A CORRESPONDING SIDE WHICH CAN BE SELECTIVELY OPENED AND CLOSED, MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE DISTANCE OF AT LEAST ONE SAID RESTRAINING MEANS FROM SAID FRAME, AND COMPRESSION MEANS FOR ATTACHING AND DETACHING SAID FRAME TO AN OBJECT HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED SURFACES. 